Check out these seafood destinations before planning your next trip!
Have you ever noticed how the sound of waves can instantly melt away months of built-up stress? There seems to be something magical about charming coastal towns that can’t be captured in pics… It’s in the air, the way of life, and time seems to slow down the moment you arrive.
But let’s be honest for a second. What’s the one thing everyone thinks about when planning a coastal getaway? The fresh seafood, obviously! Along America’s extensive coastlines lie charming towns and villages where the day’s catch still defines daily life, and menus constantly change with the tides.
These small coastal communities offer authentic maritime culture, extraordinarily fresh seafood, generations-old fishing traditions, and the kind of genuine hospitality that makes you feel like a local rather than a tourist.
So I won’t waste any more of your time. Continue reading for my top 6 picks of our beautiful country’s best seafood destinations!
Seafood destination: Portland, Maine
Traveling up the Maine coast, you can have some of THE best lobster rolls in America. Still, you can’t beat this seafood destination for possibly the biggest concentration of creative seafood anywhere in the US.
Lobster pops up everywhere on menus, in dishes like pan-roasted at Scales Restaurant, a spicy sushi roll at Pai Men Miyake, or diavolo-style at Street and Co. Of course, you can get incredible lobster rolls at The Highroller Lobster Co., which also serves cornbread-battered lobster tails on a stick, or Bite Into Maine, where lobster roll varieties include wasabi, chipotle, and curry.
Do you prefer to have your seafood in a half shell? The ever-popular Eventide Oyster Company offers a dozen varieties of Maine oysters, served with flavored shaved ices (Tabasco, pickled red onion, kimchi, or horseradish), and the dirty martini is spiked with some oyster brine.
Oh, and be sure to head over early to shop at the charming Heritage Seaweed for seaweed-based products!
Seafood destination: Newport, Oregon
This Pacific coast town is home to Oregon’s most elevated lighthouse and beautiful beaches where you can get a peek of humpbacks offshore and bald eagles overhead. This seafood destination is also a favorite among crabbers and fishermen, who contend with sea lions for the freshest catch at the public pier.
Mo’s Seafood & Chowder opened in 1946 and is my favorite place to warm up with its Yaquina Bay oyster stew and piping hot slumgullion (clam chowder with Oregon pink shrimp) in a bread bowl, while the South Beach Fish Market has perfected the art of fish and chips.
Here, you can get everything from halibut and albacore tuna to local popcorn shrimp and “calamari tubes and tentacles” that are deliciously battered and deep-fried.
Local Ocean Dockside Grill and Fish Market sources directly from local anglers, with a menu that includes Dungeness crab po’boys and moqueca de peixe, which is a Brazilian fish stew.
Seafood destination: Key West, Florida
With a nickname like the Conch Republic, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Key West is a seafood-fanatic type of town. At the Art Deco Eaton Street Seafood Market and Restaurant, you can test out some chowder, conch in fritters, and even ceviche, while B.O.’s Fish Wagon turns out crispy cracked conch “sandwiches.”
But that’s not the only signature seafood staple in these parts: Other highlights include lobster-like royal red shrimp, which are in season from the end of summer through late fall, and Florida stone crab claws, which are best enjoyed cold with some mustard dipping sauce at the A&B Lobster House or the Half Shell Raw Bar.
And if you’re looking for something a bit more sophisticated while visiting this seafood destination, Old Town’s Little Pearl is a fantastic neighborhood wine bar where the chef’s tasting menu can include grouper cheek bao buns or pink shrimp and waffles.
Seafood destination: Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama
With spectacular sunset views, white sand, and dolphin-filled waters, the neighboring towns of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores make a strong case that Alabama might be our nation’s most underrated beach state. If you’ve seen Forrest Gump, you already know that this is shrimp country.
There are many varieties to choose from, too: brown, pink, white, and especially royal red, which gained popularity in the 90s and has earned a devoted following for its meaty texture and large size. If you choose this seafood destination, you can get them steamed or raw at Blalock Seafood and Specialty Market, which also churns out an incredible smoked tuna dip, or at any of the divey seafood spots dotting the beaches.
At The Hangout, the kiddos can play in a foam pit or sand pile as you sit back and enjoy a seafood boil. It also hosts the annual Hangout Fest, which is a fun summer concert fest that’s seen the likes of Paramore, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and SZA. Close by, at Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina, you can munch on New Orleans–influenced dishes like Gulf shrimp and grits with a creole tomato sauce and delicious tasso ham.
Seafood destination: Marshall, California
There’s no better pilgrimage for oyster slurpers than Marshall, a small town on the shores of Tomales Bay, about one and a half hours north of San Francisco. While visiting this seafood destination, you can learn about “merroir” at the oyster farms lining Highway 1, including Hog Island Oyster Company and Tomales Bay Oyster Company.
As the big player in these parts, Hog Island offers shucking classes, farm tours, and tastings. They run a few different venues: Tony’s Seafood, which was established in 1948 by a Croatian fisherman and now serves grilled oysters completed with chipotle brown sugar bourbon butter.
Then there’s the always-full Boat Oyster Bar, where raw oysters are splattered with “hogwash” (lime-jalapeño mignonette). And You can’t forget about The Hog Shack, which sells them unshucked. Nearby, The Marshall Store is an unpretentious dive spot that delivers on flavor.
Among its six preparations, you’ll want to try an oyster smoked with Cowgirl Creamery’s fromage blanc or served Kilpatrick-style with bacon, garlic butter, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley.
Seafood destination: St. Michaels, Maryland
The spiced fragrance of Old Bay practically hangs like a cloud over Maryland’s Eastern Shore, a rustic stretch of colonial-era towns and corn fields on the coast of the Chesapeake Bay. Here, you’re never more than a few minutes away from a steaming heap of blue crabs waiting to be cracked or pried open.
Among the most charming towns in the area is the former shipbuilding epicenter of St. Michaels, a Victorian seaport bursting with boutiques and the incredible Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. When it’s time to eat, begin at Chesapeake Landing, an old standby for fried soft-shells, steamed crabs, crab-stuffed pretzels, and potato skins.
The Carpenter Street Saloon offers crustacean-filled pub grub with cheesy dip and crunchy crab balls. And don’t forget that this seafood destination has a long connection to oyster harvesting. You can try them at the French-accented Bistro St. Michaels in the form of fried oyster po’ boys or bacon-spiked oyster pot pies.
Have you ever visited any of these seafood destinations? If so, be sure to leave a comment to share your experiences. If not, what are we waiting for?!? Pack those comfy shoes, and set off on your seafood adventure!
But don’t leave yet! If you liked this article, Must See Places has many more like it. If you’re looking for some other ideas on where to visit this spring, I highly recommend also reading: 9 Adorable Seaside Villages in the US, Perfect for Spring
